Teen Stealing Alcohol From Parents—And What You Can Do About It

by Dr. Carol Langlois, originally published on Your Teen Magazine here.Teen Caught Stealing Alcohol From ParentsDear Your Teen:My 17-year-old stole alcohol from our home to drink with her friends. This is the second time she’s done this. How should I respond?Teen is Stealing Alcohol: What’s a Parent to Do?Did you know that teenage girls (more so than teenage boys) are likely to engage in underage drinking? The most recent data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) found that 66 percent of female high school students had “ever drunk alcohol” compared to 62 percent of male high school students.Researchers aren’t entirely sure why teenage girls tend to drink more than boys. Some hypothesize that since girls typically reach puberty sooner, they “might” engage in risky behavior (like drinking) earlier as well. There’s also evidence to suggest that teenage girls are more susceptible to alcohol-related messages. For example, advertisers target girls with bright colored magazine ads showing beautiful models in amazing clothing drinking and glamorizing the use of alcohol.Now onto your question. Here’s what I would recommend:1. Lock It UpRemember, teenagers find it easy to access alcohol when it’s readily available in their homes. Research has shown that two out of three teenagers say it is easy to get alcohol from their homes without their parents knowing about it. As a precautionary step, I’d suggest keeping your liquor cabinet locked. Research has shown that two out of three teenagers say it is easy to get alcohol from their homes without their parents knowing about it.Also, brain science can be helpful here. At 17, your daughter’s frontal lobe — which is the region that handles restraint — hasn’t fully formed. We now know the human brain does not finish developing until sometime in our 20s. If your daughter can’t yet make the right choice about alcohol, then locking the cabinet helps her by ensuring the alcohol is out of her easy reach.2. Explain Your ConcernsI’d also recommend an extended, calm conversation about the severity of her actions. What if she or another teenager ended up in the hospital? Or in a car accident? Help her see the potential consequences to her actions.3. Follow Through with ConsequencesWas there a punishment associated the first time she stole the alcohol? If not, that’s probably why she did it again. There were no repercussions or consequences. Make sure you follow through with a consequence this time and help her understand what the future consequences will be for underage drinking.4. Consider Where Else She Can Get AlcoholStealing alcohol from parents isn’t the only way teens can acquire it. As a parent, how do you feel about under age drinking at home with parental supervision? You may be surprised to know that a study found that one out of four parents think supervised under age drinking in their home is OK. Bottom line: be clear on where you stand in terms of teens and under age drinking.And one in four teens have attended a party where minors were drinking in front of other adults.Clearly, some parents believe it’s fine to supply alcohol to minors. If your teenager is not allowed alcohol at home, but then goes to a friends’ house where the rules change, this sends a confusing message. Try to find out what’s going on at her friend’s homes. Call if you must. You can also consider forming an alliance with other parents, who have similar views around drinking. That way you can all send the same message to your teenagers. Bottom line: be clear on where you stand in terms of teens stealing alcohol from parents and underage drinking. That’s not to say your teenager won’t drink, but teenagers are less likely to do so when they understand their parents don’t approve.-----Dr. Carol Langlois is trained therapist, who works with adolescent and teenage girls. You can read her blog at Dr-Carol.com. Her book, Girl Talk: Boys, Bullies and Body Image, is available on Amazon.